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Super Netball 2025, Round 3: Jhaniele Fowler’s return to the West Coast Fever secures their first win of the season over Melbourne Vixens by 57-67 at John Cain Arena

by Sports Benches

First of all, Jhaniele Fowler back on-court at the right time knowing what she does best – shooting goals inside the net and here goes the Fever’s first win of 2025.

Still long way to go of course having lost the first two when Jhaniele was closing in towards full fitness following a tough last few months with the miscarriage of her unborn child. But now as a whole Fever unit together, Jhaniele wants unfinished business closing into Top 4 at some point and play Finals with the hope of going one better past Prelims & go all in for the GF.

Then England International Fran Williams kept a great eye on the Vixens’ dangerous front two alongside GK Kadie-Ann Dehaney at Goal Defense. She’s also an excellent pivot at rebounds to her middies engine room such as the long bombs at the other end and that is key to playing Jhaniele’s best strengths up front.

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On that note, Kiera Austin did the best she could in and out of the circle after 60 odd minutes at Goal Attack for the Vixens – don’t know what went wrong other than some good late game momentum, particularly with super shots. It’s unfortunate they weren’t on the same page along with some misuse of their players & that’s by being on the back foot.

Other than Giants still winless as of a long weekend split Round 3, lots to play for from others with the Swifts on an unbeaten winning streak ahead of Round 4 next weekend. 

Could we see Fever with Jhaniele now back in the field continue making up lost time v the Sunshine Coast Lightning?

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There’s a Melbourne derby too at the same time next Sunday arvo at 2pm where Vixens could either bounce back as long as they get their structure right or else it’s the Mavericks turn this time?

There’s going to be lots more other big questions if you’re a Giants or Firebirds fan with their respective next opponents Thunderbirds and Swifts currently flying Top 2. But at the end of the day, fingers crossed – we’ll see when all players are being tested at the highest level of National League competition in Australia and this is going to be good as it gets.

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Oh going to be a nice Auckland reunion between Grace Nweke (Swifts, ex-Mystics) and coach Kiri Wills (Firebirds, ex-Stars) for that next Swifts v Firebirds contest albeit in Super Netball colours.

For now, Vixens not bad at playing catch-up including super shots time but Fever have the overall on-court dominance that Vixens couldn’t have in the end by 57-67.

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2025 Super Netball Round 1: West Coast Fever v NSW Swifts, Nweke and Housby are the stars of the Swifts 49-67 win in Perth

by Sports Benches

So there you have it, it was great to see the NSW Swifts begin their 2025 season with the win, especially when they went up against last year’s Preliminary Finalists West Coast Fever at Perth’s RAC Arena.

First of all, things may have been shaky off the back of a flying Fever start, especially when the Swifts back two seems to be a hit and miss at times. 

Although they got away with some good deflections/rebounds based on the Fever’s poor attacking output through luck.

What kept the Swifts marching above their weight was the world-class goal shooting duo they’ve built of England’s Helen Housby (Goal Attack) and new recruit from New Zealand via the Mystics & Silver Ferns in Grace Nweke (Goal Shooter).

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They both shot flawlessly into the net like rockets including restarts every time Fever struggle to put those pieces together and the progress was there to see.

Now it’s up to the mid-court engine room to keep up the ante in which they weren’t bad coupled with the added help of temporary replacement signing Verity Simmons who knows Perth all two well after Grace Whyte fell down when she was trying to mark the ball at Wing Attack. 

They got a few days of homework on their flight home at Netball Central before Swifts first home game of the year is on Saturday night at 7pm v Melbourne Mavericks.

And on Fever, it wasn’t the afternoon they wanted when their defense was rinsed by both Nweke & Housby while the shooters of their own had to do the heavy lifting. 

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One highlight though the Fever will always remember is the return of Mwai Kumwenda, who just got back on the court following some time away due to pregnancy, and she too now just racked up over 100 Super Netball Super Spots. 

They need to keep their head up especially when the opponents they face this season will be new-look squads and the Kiri Willis-led Queensland Firebirds is up next also next Saturday to Brisbane from 5pm. QLD also got away with the win too against the Giants earlier this afternoon here in Sydney where Kiri will want to make the most out of her time in Australia having recently been the coach of fellow Auckland ANZ Premiership side Northern Stars up until the end of 2024.

All in all, the Ferns players may not be able to leave home that could compromise their eligibility status with selection for the foreseeable future. But getting tested at the highest level is something no one else could provide that springboard other than Super Netball – only available in Australia.

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